Implementation of CLAS standards to meet the needs of at-risk populations in Massachusetts

Racial and ethnic minority populations in Massachusetts experience poorer outcomes than white populations for several health conditions, including stroke, cancer, and diabetes. To address this, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) currently funds 20 organizations across the state to work on health disparities reduction in their communities. MDPH emphasizes capacity building and shared learning among grantees and collaborates with the Institute for Community Health, a local research and evaluation organization, to offer technical assistance. Grantees target health disparities at levels ranging from individual interventions to institutional and community-wide changes. A common theme across programs is provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS), using the U.S. Office for Minority Health's CLAS standards as a guiding framework. The CLAS standards outline recommended practices for serving diverse populations and are organized into three themes: Culturally Competent Care, Language Access Services, and Organizational Supports for Cultural Competence. This presentation uses three grantee case studies to illustrate successful implementation of CLAS standards within each of these themes. Case studies include 1) measuring race, ethnicity, and language data at a community health center, 2) using diverse, multilingual community health workers to provide culturally competent care at a mobile health clinic, and 3) implementing a needs assessment for men and fostering community discussions on racism with guidance from a men's health program. Case studies will include evaluation data, best practice recommendations, and lessons learned. Overall, the strategies and recommendations shared by the grantees can help guide others in implementing CLAS standards in varied community settings.